B.C.’s police watchdog is investigating an incident in Abbotsford on Monday (July 31) that resulted in serious injury to a man during an arrest.
The Independent Investigations Office (IIO) of BC stated in a press release on Wednesday (Aug. 2) that the Abbotsford Police Department (APD) indicated the incident occurred at about 7:25 p.m. on Monday.
An officer reportedly saw a man engaging in an “indecent act” on Clearbrook Road near Mt. Waddington Avenue.
The press release states that the officer pulled over and tried to arrest the man.
“It is reported that there was an altercation while the man was being taken into custody,” the release states.
ALSO SEE: Cop whose dog injured man during Abbotsford arrest will not face charges
The man was taken to the APD detachment and Emergency Health Services (EHS) was called to assess his condition.
He was then taken to hospital and was found to have sustained a “serious injury,” the IIO states. The specifics of the injury were not released.
The IIO said it was notified of the incident shortly after it occurred, and the agency is looking to confirm details of the arrest and whether the force used during the altercation was “reasonable, necessary and justified under the circumstances.”
The agency is asking anyone with information or video footage of the incident to call the witness line toll-free at 1-855-446-8477 or through the contact form on the iiobc.ca website.
The IIO is an independent civilian-oversight agency that investigates all officer-related incidents that result in serious harm or death to determine whether there was any wrongdoing.